Volume 134 No. 13
THE BLACK MEDIA AUTHORITY • AFRO.COM
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OCTOBER 25, 2025 - OCTOBER 31, 2025
Sean Rayford/AP Content Services for National Nurses United
Millions nationwide are feeling the impact of the government shutdown and federal policies that have led to job losses and program cuts. Struggling federal workers say they’re surviving on dwindling savings and faith as they call for accountability and renewed civic engagement.
As savings accounts dwindle, federal workers say they’re holding on with ‘hopes and prayers’
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO kmcneir@afro.com
afro.com
From the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to Grant Park in Chicago and Times Square in New York City, thousands of Americans packed public spaces on Oct. 18, to protest the policies of the Trump administration, which have slashed federal programs and resources, encouraged Gestapo-style detention of immigrants and prolonged the federal government that began on Oct. 1. More than 2,600 rallies were planned in cities large and small by
grassroots activists who hope to build momentum against the administration. But for federal workers in D.C. who spoke with the AFRO, whether furloughed or fired, banners like “Resist Fascism” fail to express their fears and concerns about the future. Keisha Clark-Proctor, 57, an African-American mother, now divorced, was a proud federal employee for 37 years. She said during previous shutdowns there were policies and procedures in place on which she could rely. This time, however, that is not the case. “I started with the government in 1986 as a college student and
worked my way up to management as an associate director of the Civil Rights and Anti-Harassment Division. So, I felt comfortable with what I had achieved and was planning to retire either at 62 or 65,” said Clark-Proctor, who lives in Bowie, Md., and cares for her elderly mother. Then she received a notice that said she was a part of RIF (reduction in force) efforts, which she explained as “an internal phrase” used to say her “job had been eliminated.” “We’re a small unit, but the work we do is critical to Americans, whether they realize it or not,”
Clark-Proctor said. “Truth be told, anyone can be subjected to discrimination – not just because of race or gender, but also because of religion, age, disability, national origin or sexual orientation.” She estimated that about twothirds of those within her division, roughly 150 people, were fired and given little hope of being able to transfer to other positions because of new policies which limit movement. She further added that now, she’s “catching hell.” “Early retirement was never in my plan, not only because I have health challenges, but because I take care
Murder trial of Illinois sheriff deputy who killed Sonya Massey begins By John O’Connor A jury was seated Oct. 20 in the murder trial of an Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged with killing Sonya Massey, a Black woman shot in her home last year after calling police for help. Opening statements took place on Oct. 22 in the case against Sean Grayson after a jury of 10 women and five men, including three alternates, was chosen. Grayson 31, an Continued on A3
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, file
Donna Massey(front, center) wipes tears from her face in a July 2024 press conference as she listens to Rev. Al Sharpton (right) speak during a press conference over the shooting death of her daughter Sonya, who was killed by Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson.
of my mother,” Clark-Proctor said, adding that several years ago she purchased the house next door for her mother to occupy so she could be close by. “I was a dedicated employee and have had a passion for civil rights since my youth because it was my father’s passion, too, and I realized how important ensuring our rights was for all Americans,” she said. “Now, I feel like the government is saying my contributions, my commitment didn’t matter. And that hurts even more than being fired.” Continued on A3
EDITORIAL
The right to vote is on trial…again By Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper AFRO CEO and Publisher Ever since I was five years old, walking to the polls with my mother, I wanted to vote. I remember watching her proudly cast her ballot, knowing it was both a right and a responsibility hard-won by generations before us. So I proudly applied for my voter card as soon as I turned 18, and I’ve voted in every election since — never once taking it for granted. It is, and always will be, both a privilege and a sacred duty. That’s why what’s happening today feels so personal.
Copyright © 2025 by the Afro-American Company
The right to vote — something so fundamental, so essential to freedom itself — is once again under threat. Sixty years after the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the crown jewel of the Civil Rights Movement which promised Black Americans full participation in this democracy, the very law that secured that promise is back on the witness stand. On Oct. 15, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could determine how far the Voting Rights Act still protects against racial discrimination in voting. The Continued on A3